Mayor-Elect Drake Dill asked for consideration of the following Committee-of-the-Whole recommendations to be tabled until the January 6, 2025, council meeting for further discussion until he is sworn is as Mayor:

• Approve Financial Management Plan for Utility Funds as presented by Tammy Omdal, Northland Securities, Inc. on November 4, 2024
• Approve dsgw Architecture report for the rehabilitation of the Vactor garage, and equipment garage to be financed and paid for with budgeted Street and Sanitary funds

ADOPTED Resolution No. 75-2024, Resolution Approving the Final Tax Levy Collectible 2025 and the 2025 Budget for the City of International Falls, MN

Mayor Droba stated at the Truth-N-Taxation meeting the levy dropped from the proposed 8% to 6.02%. After last Monday’s Budget and Finance meeting, they were able to decrease the levy down to 5.81% due to movement of employment resources being charged to General Fund 101 that should be charged to the Voyageurs National Park Fund 410.

MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve Resolution No. 75-2024, approving the Final Tax Levy Collectible in 2025.  Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner and carried unanimously.

MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve the 2025 Budget as presented for the City of International Falls.  Motion seconded by Councilor Wegner.

Joe Kantor 1607 13th Avenue West addressed concerns as to where the 2025 budgeted money was being spent and inquired about the rush to finalize the budget.  Mayor Droba explained the process for the budget noting it began in April 2024 and advised that the city has to have their final budget to the county by December 27.  Kantor inquired to the changes in the budget since the last meeting.  Mayor Droba noted that other than the decrease in the levy which saved almost 2% there had been no changes.  Mr. Kantor addressed additional concerns about a garage being built.  Mayor Droba stated the vactor garage was being updated to meet current standards along with the city garage.  The salt shed would be a new build however funds for all above projects were already budgeted for.

Motion carried unanimously.

APPROVED as presented

• Ammex Tax & Duty Free Shops dba Duty Free Americas – Gasoline Pumps License
• Carter Kittelson – Snowplow License
• Cine 5, Inc – Restaurant License and Theater License
• Coffee Landing – Restaurant License
• M W Friend’s Inc dba Friends Garbage Service, LLC – Garbage Haulers License
• Pete-Ham Food Service Inc dba Hardee’s Int’l Falls – Restaurant License
• Rose Garden – Restaurant License
• TruNorth Properties, LLC – Snowplow License

Motion seconded by Councilor Buller and carried unanimously.

APPROVED City Support for activities for the Annual Arrowhead Ultra 135

• Border Bar & Pizza House Inc – Off Sale License, On Sale License, Sunday Liquor License, Pool Table License, Restaurant License, Juke Box License and Amusement Games License
• Elks Club #1599 – Club License, Restaurant License and Sunday Liquor License
• espresso lane LLC dba The Library – Sunday Liquor License, On Sale License and Restaurant License
• Family Dollar LLC dba Family Dollar Store #30058 – Cigarette License and 3.2 Off Sale License
• Holiday Stationstore dba Circle K #2746509 – 3.2 Off Sale License, Cigarette License, Gasoline Pumps License and Restaurant License
• IFalls Group LLC dba Cobblestone Hotel & Suites – Restaurant License, On Sale Liquor License and Sunday Liquor License
• TRM II Inc dba Chocolate Moose Restaurant Co – Restaurant License and Wine On Sale License
• TRM 5, Inc dba Sammy’s Pizza & Restaurant – On Sale Liquor License, Restaurant License and Sunday Liquor License

Motion seconded by Councilor Buller.  Motion carried 4-0-1, with Councilors Buller, Holden, Kalar and Wegner voting “yea” and Mayor Droba abstaining.

1. APPROVED stop sign at the intersection of 4th Street and 9th Avenue

MOTION by Councilor Buller to approve stop sign at the intersection of 4th Street and 9th Avenue.  Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously.

1. APPROVED IAMAW Collective Bargaining Agreement 2025-2027 with the Firefighter Engineers and Paramedics

MOTION by Councilor Holden to approve IAMAW Collective Bargaining Agreement 2025-2027 with the Firefighter Engineers and Paramedics.  Motion seconded by Councilor Kalar and carried unanimously.

1. APPROVED to TABLE the Financial Management Plan for Utility Funds

Councilor Holden stated out of respect for the new Mayor, Mr. Dill should be able to review the documentation before proceeding.  Mayor Droba questioned the timing, as nothing was being pushed through. This has been something the city has been working on for well over two years.  Mayor Droba felt there was no need to not proceed and was confident the city would still make the decision to move forward.

Motion carried unanimously.

1. APPROVED Grant Agreement – Design Grant for the International Falls; Regional Health and Wellness Center Project utilizing the 2023 $1M Bonding funds

Councilor Holden commented that he realizes the $1 million was needed to proceed with design work and that money needed to be spent in order to receive more funds. However, if money would not be received from the State, Councilor Holden felt it was time to look at the Kerry Park project.  Councilor Kalar agreed.

Motion carried unanimously.

1. APPROVED to TABLE dsgw Architecture report for the rehabilitation of the Vactor garage, and equipment garage to be financed and paid for with budgeted Street and Sanitary funds

Councilor Holden felt that this agenda item should be tabled per Mayor-Elect Dill’s request.  Councilor Kalar agreed.

Motion by Councilor Buller to amend his initial motion.

Councilor Wegner withdrew his motion of second.

Motion by Councilor Kalar to table the dsgw Architecture report for the rehabilitation of the Vactor garage, and equipment garage to be financed and paid for with budgeted Street and Sanitary funds to the January 6, 2025, council meeting.  Motion seconded by Councilor Holden.

Mayor Droba stated they have been working on rehabilitation of the Vactor and equipment garage for the last two years and the money was set aside in the capital outlay fund.  This is not an unfunded project and does not directly affect the levy.  Mayor Droba felt business shouldn’t be stopped for the next two weeks.

Motion carried 4-1, with Councilors Buller, Holden, Kalar and Wegner voting “yea” and Mayor Droba voting “nay”.

1. APPROVED proceeding to work with Bolten & Menk along with dsgw Architecture to apply for a low interest Clean Water Partnership Loan through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

1. APPROVED 2025/2026 lobbyist agreement with Capitol Hill Associates

The International Falls Police Department Activity Report for November 2024 was available for review along with the November 2024 Fire/Rescue/EMS Activity Report.

Councilor Kalar wanted to quote City Administrator Bergstrom’s words to the Mayor and City Staff as well.  He also reminded everyone about breakfast with Santa on Saturday from 9 A.M – 11 A.M at the Elk’s.

Councilor Holden spoke to Mayor Droba regarding his time as the City’s Mayor and felt he had done a really good job.

Mayor Droba appreciated all the kind words and said he had been thinking a lot over the last couple of weeks. When first on the city council he was Councilor for center ward.  The mill had just laid off approximately 200 employees.  Mayor Droba commented that sometimes as Mayor what you want to get done is not what you can get done.  He felt as though lots of great things have happened within the community but acknowledged that there is still work to be done.  Mayor Droba thanked previous and current council members whom he had worked with as well as department heads and all city staff.  Most importantly he noted his family, wife and daughter had gotten him through it all.  Mayor Droba stated that whatever happens starting in January 2025, Mayor Dill has his support.

Mayor Droba finished with “If a decision divides the community, we should have a divide within the council.”